Update from Trish Etheridge, Principal Project Manager – Capital Infrastructure Delivery, Assets:
I am writing to provide you with an update on the Clophill roundabout scheme. Work is to start on a redesigned Clophill roundabout improvement scheme that addresses rising construction costs, delivers important benefits for road users, and responds to feedback from residents by retaining the footbridge over the A507.
Our contractor Octavius will be setting up its site compound and begin preparation work on the scheme on Monday 20th February.
Rising construction costs due to inflation are a national issue affecting capital projects across the UK. Following the procurement process, significant inflationary pressures in the construction industry led to tenders coming in over the scheme’s allocated budget; a budget that was set in May 2021 before construction inflation costs soared.
Knowing the strength of public feeling during the consultation, we have taken this opportunity to reassess the plans to redesign the roundabout and will move forward with an amended scheme that keeps the footbridge. Remodelling the planned roundabout brings the project costs in line with the budget and still delivers significant benefits for road users, local residents, and communities across Central Bedfordshire.
Two lanes in and out on all four arms will see enhanced roundabout capacity enabling more vehicles to get through the junction at the same time. However, by reducing the distance these lanes extend on the eastern A507 arm to about 25 metres the footbridge and its ramp will stay. The other arms will remain like the original plans, although reducing the length of the two lane approach on the southern A6 arm enables the existing bridge over River Flit to be kept, which is a significant cost saving.
The improvements will see road users benefit from reduced journey times especially during busy periods, with the exception being for traffic heading eastbound on the A507 at peak travel times in the evening and on the A6 northbound arm in the morning peak travel period. This is because of the decision to keep the footbridge and not extend the two lanes fully on the A507 eastern arm, which saves money given the rising inflation and acts on the consultation feedback.
The scheme will include the reduced 30mph speed limits on the approaches to the roundabout and the installation of three toucan crossings offering pedestrians a dedicated crossing point on all four arms. The previously proposed toucan crossing on the A507 eastern arm will not be installed as the footbridge is retained.
The important scheme supports the future of Central Bedfordshire by building much-needed extra capacity at this busy junction which will see more traffic in the future, particularly with the planned M1/A6 link road. It’s part of our continued forward-planning approach to support a prosperous area that benefits residents and the communities across Central Bedfordshire.
A new digital flythrough will be available in the next few weeks showing the planned improvements at the roundabout.
Octavius is our construction partner for the scheme that benefits from £6.8 million of government Levelling Up funding.
Further information on when the carriageway works will start will follow in the coming weeks. This will include information on planned diversion routes.
More information is available at www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/clophill
It is our intention to set up a briefing in the coming weeks in order that we continue to keep updated on the project as it progresses.